BYU schedules UConn in 2014, 2015

Connecticut's Andre Dixon (2) tries to get around South Carolina defender Ladi Ajiboye (91) during an NCAA college football game in the Papajohns.com Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

PROVO — BYU announced Monday that it has signed a deal for a home-and-home football series with the University of Connecticut in 2014 and 2015.

The Cougars will visit the Huskies on Aug. 28, 2014, at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. The two teams will square off in Provo on Oct. 31, 2015.

It will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

“We are grateful to UConn for the opportunity to play this home-and-home series and look forward to the games,” said BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe. "The Huskies have played great football as an FBS member, winning league titles and earning numerous bowl invitations. Scheduling this game in the Northeast gives our fans traveling to the game opportunities to visit places they may not have been before. We are also excited to welcome UConn to Provo for its first-ever visit to LaVell Edwards Stadium.”

“We are very excited to bring another nationally prominent opponent to Rentschler Field,” said UConn athletic director Warde Manuel. “BYU has a long tradition of football excellence with prominent players that are known around the country. With Michigan playing at UConn in 2013 and Tennessee in 2015, we feel that we have a very strong non-conference schedule for the next several years and plan on continuing that practice. I also think UConn fans will enjoy making the trip to Provo in 2015. Our loyal followers have established a tradition of traveling well to national non-conference contests, and I think this will happen again when we go to BYU.”

UConn head coach Paul Pasqualoni is entering his third year as head coach and has led teams to nine bowl games. “The series with BYU is a great opportunity and challenge for our football program,” said Pasqualoni. “A strong non-conference schedule puts our team on the national stage and also prepares the team for league play. Everyone in college football knows about the proud heritage of BYU football.”

“We are excited to add another quality opponent in UConn to our upcoming schedules,” said BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall. “Coach Pasqualoni does a great job with his teams, so we know it will be a challenging series. We look forward to the opportunity to play the Huskies and expect the games will be great for our teams and our fans.”

Game times and television coverage for the two games will be announced at a future date.

Jeff Call has been a sportswriter for the Deseret News since 1997. He is the BYU beat writer and has been covering Cougar sports since 1993, when he served as sports editor at the Daily Universe. Call has written several more ..